Bluebird of Happiness Video Tutorial

Sponsored in part by AdventHealth, our free Art of Healing outreach is offered to anyone in a medical situation, caregiver, healthcare worker, survivor or person in need of reflective time.

Bluebird of Happiness Paper Mache

A VIRTUAL ART OF HEALING PROJECT

Create a Bluebird of Happiness during this artful workshop.

Use bamboo, paper mache, wire and beads to create a beautiful hanging decoration to brighten your home. No art experience is needed. Art project led by Kristin Heron!

SUPPLIES:

Four sticks, bamboo works well
Acrylic paint & paintbrushes
Craft wire
Beads
Raffia, ribbon, twine or yarn
Newspaper
Bird stencil (download here)
Cardboard
White glue (Elmer’s)
Hot glue gun
Scissors
Masking tape
Pencil or pen
Cup for mixing glue and water
Water
Any extra embellishments you’d like to include

INSTRUCTIONS

MAKING THE BIRD

Trace the bird stencil onto a piece of cardboard, and cut out the cardboard bird shape.
Crumple newspaper and tape it onto the cardboard bird form, to make it three-dimensional.
Cover the entire newspaper form with masking tape, until it is smooth.
Cut newspaper into strips. Be sure to cut some long, and some short. Cut more than you think you’ll need, because once your hands getting sticky with glue it will be difficult to cut more.
Make a solution in a cup with half water and half Elmer’s glue. Stir.
Dip a strip of newspaper into the glue solution, and lay it on the masking tape bird form. Smooth it out with your fingers.
Repeat step six, and keep layering strips of newspaper over each other and smoothing them out, until the entire bird form is covered. Let dry!
Once the bird is dry, paint it with acrylic paints. Add designs, and if you want to, glue on embellishments like sequins.

MAKING THE SWING

Lay out four sticks in a rectangle. Use a hot glue gun to attach them.
Wrap the four corner intersections with raffia. Use a glue gun to secure the ends of the raffia.
Make a hanger out of craft wire. Wrap the wire around the top stick, then add some beads. Then wrap the other end of the wire around the stick. Twist it into a loop at the top if you’d like.
Hot glue the painted bird onto the swing.